The ethnic history of the United States is as unique and rich as the cultures and traditions of the hundreds of different ethnic and racial groups that comprise the landscape of our nation. The history, culture, and traditions of each group representing all corners of the globe are uniquely distinctive, and yet were all influenced by the similar characteristics of location, time of arrival, age, and the culture, skills, and traditions that they brought with them from their homes. Each of the varying conditions mixes together to add to the economic position, education, fertility, and intelligence of the ethnic groups that immigrated to America throughout our country's history. As varying as economic position, education, fertility, and intelligence seem to be for each group, once the confounding variables such as age, location, etc. are removed, all of the varying groups tend to have similar characteristics that differ dramatically from what the "national average" or statistical data may suggest.
From the first immigrants who stepped foot on American soil, the demographic, political, economic, linguistic, cultural, and geographic landscape of the United States has yet to remain unchanged. American society changes each and every day as more and more immigrants become residents of a nation where cultures and traditions fail to vanish into oblivion, but rather assimilate into the unique and ever changing American Identity. Immigrants who arrived in the United States with little more than the clothes on their back have risen to positions of leadership, fame, fortune, and economic success as leading scientific figures, political leaders, presidents, and pop culture icons. There is no country as geographically diverse ruled under one law, one language, and one identity than the United States; and identity that assimilates all of the vernacular, dialect, music, food, clothing, and entertainment of once obscure ethnic groups into mainstream media and common heritage.
The trek towards equality and integration was not an easy one and is a battle not yet completely won. However, it is a sobering reality to think of the remarkable pace at which the United States has nearly eliminated political and racial strife as compared to centuries of tension in countries around the world. The fight for equality continues to be fought day in and day out by citizens of various walks of life in mainstream media and through everyday actions of local and community heroes signifying a hopeful future for the fate of racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion in the United States.
Just as diverese as the immigrants themselves, ethnic theatre in America spans centuries of a rich and invaluable history that has translated and assimilated the cultures and traditions of thousands of ethnically diverse people into one American Identity. Ethnic theatre in America is defined as theatre created by and for minority communities, those communities whose heritage differs from Anglo-American identity. Ethnic theatre in the United States has a vast history that spans all the way back to the indigenous Native-American populations who performed their communal celebrations and ancient rituals in order to preserve their culture during the American conquest by Anglo-American immigrants. Other forms of ethnic theatre began to become popular in correlation to the arrival of the various ethnic groups. Black Theatre was first introduced on slave ships as early as 1664, followed by African-American Theatre and African Theatre in 1821 while flourishing during the Harlem Renaissance of the early 20th century. Other forms of ethnic theatre such as Chicano/Mexican-American, French, German, Chinese, Polish, Yiddish, Italian, and various other theatre troupes sprung up during the conquest and expansion of the United States and the immigration of various European ethnic groups during the mid-19th century.
Ethnic theatre reached its peak in popularity during the pre-World War I era as the number of immigrants flourished. The diaspora of various groups to the United States intrigued by economic prosperity and individual freedoms brought many immigrants into a harsh and unwelcoming America forcing many to live in crowded tenement housing and ghettos. The ethnic theatre provided an escape for many of these groups as it allowed for support of educational, charitable, and political involvement of an underserved population. Theatres became a safe-haven for the young, old, educated, uneducated, recently arrived, poor, mobile, and most importantly, women, during a time when the art of performing offered a sort of nostalgic and common experience for theatre goers. The theatre offered immigrants an education of the American culture, a glimpse into the history and folklore of their native lands, political activism, entertainment, comedy, and relatable tragedy as an escape from the harsh realities faced every day during their ever constant attempts to reach to unachievable American Dream.
After 1930, the number of immigrant theatres dramatically decreased due to anti-immigration and restriction laws and the rise of movies, radio, and television. However, preceding World War II, ethnic theatre had a resurgence in the form of Puerto Rican theatre. Ethnic theatre became less central to the immigrant experience as mainstream media began to expand to include the likes of culturally diverse and ethnically varying entertainment. Nevertheless, the idea of ethnic theatre persisted as it became more politically liberal and socially active. The success of ethnic theatre relied heavily on its ability to allow minorities and immigrants such as Asian-Americans, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Native-Americas, etc. to extend beyond the stereotypical roles assigned to them by American society and media and express their identity, heritage, and struggle in a communal and creative practice.
The ethnic history of the United States is as unique and rich as the cultures and traditions of the hundreds of different ethnic and racial groups that comprise the landscape of our nation. The history, culture, and traditions of each group representing all corners of the globe are uniquely distinctive, and yet were all influenced by the similar characteristics of location, time of arrival, age, and the culture, skills, and traditions that they brought with them from their homes. Each of the varying conditions mixes together to add to the economic position, education, fertility, and intelligence of the ethnic groups that immigrated to America throughout our country's history. As varying as economic position, education, fertility, and intelligence seem to be for each group, once the confounding variables such as age, location, etc. are removed, all of the varying groups tend to have similar characteristics that differ dramatically from what the "national average" or statistical data may suggest.
From the first immigrants who stepped foot on American soil, the demographic, political, economic, linguistic, cultural, and geographic landscape of the United States has yet to remain unchanged. American society changes each and every day as more and more immigrants become residents of a nation where cultures and traditions fail to vanish into oblivion, but rather assimilate into the unique and ever changing American Identity. Immigrants who arrived in the United States with little more than the clothes on their back have risen to positions of leadership, fame, fortune, and economic success as leading scientific figures, political leaders, presidents, and pop culture icons. There is no country as geographically diverse ruled under one law, one language, and one identity than the United States; and identity that assimilates all of the vernacular, dialect, music, food, clothing, and entertainment of once obscure ethnic groups into mainstream media and common heritage.
The trek towards equality and integration was not an easy one and is a battle not yet completely won. However, it is a sobering reality to think of the remarkable pace at which the United States has nearly eliminated political and racial strife as compared to centuries of tension in countries around the world. The fight for equality continues to be fought day in and day out by citizens of various walks of life in mainstream media and through everyday actions of local and community heroes signifying a hopeful future for the fate of racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion in the United States.
Just as diverese as the immigrants themselves, ethnic theatre in America spans centuries of a rich and invaluable history that has translated and assimilated the cultures and traditions of thousands of ethnically diverse people into one American Identity. Ethnic theatre in America is defined as theatre created by and for minority communities, those communities whose heritage differs from Anglo-American identity. Ethnic theatre in the United States has a vast history that spans all the way back to the indigenous Native-American populations who performed their communal celebrations and ancient rituals in order to preserve their culture during the American conquest by Anglo-American immigrants. Other forms of ethnic theatre began to become popular in correlation to the arrival of the various ethnic groups. Black Theatre was first introduced on slave ships as early as 1664, followed by African-American Theatre and African Theatre in 1821 while flourishing during the Harlem Renaissance of the early 20th century. Other forms of ethnic theatre such as Chicano/Mexican-American, French, German, Chinese, Polish, Yiddish, Italian, and various other theatre troupes sprung up during the conquest and expansion of the United States and the immigration of various European ethnic groups during the mid-19th century.
Ethnic theatre reached its peak in popularity during the pre-World War I era as the number of immigrants flourished. The diaspora of various groups to the United States intrigued by economic prosperity and individual freedoms brought many immigrants into a harsh and unwelcoming America forcing many to live in crowded tenement housing and ghettos. The ethnic theatre provided an escape for many of these groups as it allowed for support of educational, charitable, and political involvement of an underserved population. Theatres became a safe-haven for the young, old, educated, uneducated, recently arrived, poor, mobile, and most importantly, women, during a time when the art of performing offered a sort of nostalgic and common experience for theatre goers. The theatre offered immigrants an education of the American culture, a glimpse into the history and folklore of their native lands, political activism, entertainment, comedy, and relatable tragedy as an escape from the harsh realities faced every day during their ever constant attempts to reach to unachievable American Dream.
After 1930, the number of immigrant theatres dramatically decreased due to anti-immigration and restriction laws and the rise of movies, radio, and television. However, preceding World War II, ethnic theatre had a resurgence in the form of Puerto Rican theatre. Ethnic theatre became less central to the immigrant experience as mainstream media began to expand to include the likes of culturally diverse and ethnically varying entertainment. Nevertheless, the idea of ethnic theatre persisted as it became more politically liberal and socially active. The success of ethnic theatre relied heavily on its ability to allow minorities and immigrants such as Asian-Americans, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Native-Americas, etc. to extend beyond the stereotypical roles assigned to them by American society and media and express their identity, heritage, and struggle in a communal and creative practice.